Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-01-20
ANOTHER WRECK.


4 Missouri Paciac Express Train wreekeA
in Nebrask.-Yhs Engineer Killed and
Express Messenger Fatally lnjUred-TWO
Arrests-
KANSAS CITY, Jan. 12.-Information was
received here to-day that al an early hour
as the Missouri Pacific passenger train No.
was about one miles west OF Dunbar,
Neb-. . station about 1S5. miles from
this city, misplaced rail was struck and
the entire train thrown from the track The
engineer, Dewitt, was killed, and hts fire
man, Walter s. Gates, was seriously in
Jured. None of the passengers were seri-
ously injured
OMAHA, Neb.. Jan. 13.-News was received
in this city yesterday of terrible accident
which occurred Tuesday night at Dunbar,
Neb. The Missouri Pacific express bound
south, which left here at 9:lO p. N. Tuesday
in charge of Conductor Wilson. was wrecked
near that place at IL 80 that night. The en-
gineer, James Dewitt of Wyandotte, Kan,
was instantly killed, the drop lever being
forced clean through his body. The fireman,
Frank Denton. was slightly injured, and
the express messenger, Frank Cheneworth,
received mjI-ias from which he will prob
ably die. All the cars were thrown from
the track, and some of them were badly
wrecked. The baggage car was thrown q
distance of 200 feet. None OF the passen
gers were injured. although all were badly
shaken up. The cause of the accident was
the removal of two rails. That ii was pre-
meditated there is no do-lbt, for the location
is On an embankment just near the
crossing of a stream one mile west of
Dunbar. Jus before t8e train came
laundering along two men were seen run
ming away from the place where the rails
were removed. Two crowbars were found
near the scene of the wreck, together with
some other tools, which had undoubtedly
been used i'll removing the rails. These
tools were of the sort used on track repair
ing work, and it would appear from this
that the wreckers were railroad men. At
tempts have been made previously to kill
Engineer Dewitt by derailiGg the locomo-
tive of which he had charge The last time
the arrival of freight train ahead OF De-
Wits train saved him from almost certain
death. 1t is said certain parties have had
i'll feelings against the engineer, and hence
the cause of this fiendish revenge. The wreck
was Immediately cleared and trains5passed
on time. No arrests have been made as yet
although the authorities have commenced
investigating and Will push matters to the
bitter end. There are many rumors cur
rent as TO the motives OF the wreckers in
perpetrating such fendish Outrage. There
ere many who believe that the deed was
accomplished by men who are enemies of
the Missouri Pacific railroad. Others Mold
that the wreck was the work of a gang OF
robbers, who hoped to plumber the dead
and dying. The theory which most gener-
ally obtains credence. however, is that enc
mics of Engineer Dewitt derailed the train
in the hope and belief that, as subsequent ,
events showed, he would be killed. Every
effort will be made to run the miscreant to
the ground.
THE wRECKERs ARRESTED.
d. W. Hoffman and James Bell have been
arrested and lodged in jail at Nebraska City
on the charge of wrecking the Missouri Pa
citic passenger train Tuesday night
causing the death of Engineer De Witt and
fatally injuring Express Messenger Chene-
worth. The prisoners were arrested at
Dunbar and taken to Nebraska City to avoid
lynching by indignant citizens. Evidence
before the jury shows pretty conclusively
that the right parties have been arrested.
LIST OF THE INJURED.
F. 1. Cheneworth, Pacific express mes
senger, who lives at 916 Woodland avenue,
Kansas City, head hurt and dangerous in
ternal injuries. He may die; Water p
Gates, fireman, scalded and fingers mashed;
Mrs. F. Cross, Omaha, ankle sprained; c.
G. Burton, Omaha, head and arm hurt;
Mathew Lindell, Omaha, cut in right side;
Silas McCarrolly, Omaha, hand hurt; NJ.
Kenon Omaha head hurt; Mrs.
Walter E. Kennedy, Forepaugh's
circus, collar bone fractured; Mr..
Walsten, Kansas City, head hurt;
S. Van Tolfe, Willow Springs, Mo-, elbow
hurt; S. II. Meyers, Mechanicsburg, Pa,
nose and neck skinned; George Coon, Phila-
delphia, Pa, elbow scraped: NJ. G.. Moran,
Omaha, elbow pinched; Miss Mollie Hyde,
Beloit, Kan, slight conclusion; E. Conner,
Omaha, right hip wrenched; John Geiger,
st. Louis, shoulder hurt; ]. T. Burkhart,
Buffalo, Wyo. T., shoulder: John Pickett,
Austin, Tex, hand hurt; E. Becker, ia
oil I,,1i ha,, a,alr
rett brakeman, Atchison, face scraped.